Maurice Barrow scored 19 points, including a pair of layups down the stretch, as Fairfield pulled away in the final 5 minutes to defeat Quinnipiac 72-60 Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
The Stags, in their first game under former Princeton coach Sydney Johnson, led by as many as 15 points in each half and were up 53-39 with 13:32 left, but a dunk and a layup by Jamee Jackson started an 18-4 Bobcats run over the next 8:26.
After two free throws by Zaid Hearst tied the game at 57 with 5:06 left, Rakim Sanders' layup 18 seconds later put Fairfield back in front to stay in the contest at the Connecticut 6 tripleheader.
Sanders added 16 points for Fairfield, Derek Needham had 14, including four 3-pointers, and Ryan Olander had 12, including three 3-pointers.
Ike Azotam had 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead Quinnipiac.
